Beginnings and Comforting
by ThatJeredyWriter
Summary: Meredy is taking the loss of Ultear from their guild very hard and only Jellal can do anything to comfort her. A new and beautiful relationship starts to bloom between them as a result. (Basically how Jeredy starts). Very light lemon/smut involved. Originally posted on tumblr. Please enjoy.


The year is X791. The end of the battle against the dragons that had plunged Fiore into a dark era of chaos and destruction is upon them. Finally, everyone would be given the opportunity to recover and rebuild all that they have lost. And those that were victimized by the war would be given the opportunity to grieve. But none would ever grieve that day as much as the members of an independent guild whose goals were to destroy Zeref and his creations.

Nightfall sets upon the land.

"Meredy, we should stop for the night," comments Jellal as he looks over his shoulder at his partner.

"Yeah…"

Meredy's eyes are glued to the ground. Her head hangs low from how destroyed she feels. In her left hand, she tightly holds onto the last letter that she would ever get from her beloved mother figure, Ultear. Throughout the day, Meredy read the letter over and over again, trying her best not to break into tears each time. But it was hopeless. Each time her eyes scanned the elegantly-written letter; her tears would come and stain her cheeks without fail. She felt so empty. She kept asking herself how it is she could've prevented this, but no clear answer ever came about.

Jellal could only watch her helplessly. He was all too familiar with the sensation of having lost a dearly beloved. It was the sensation he had felt when Erza vanished from his life seven years ago. But unlike Erza, it wasn't very likely that Ultear would be returning to them to relieve Meredy from her heartache.

Jellal also grieved for the loss of their comrade. Ultear wasn't just a friend or someone that helped rescue him from prison. To Jellal, Ultear was his lover, for a time anyways. When Jellal found out about Erza all those years ago, it was Ultear who was there to shoulder his pain and comfort him. The two became intimately close as a result, helping each other bare the sins they have committed on both physical and emotional levels. But when Erza returned to the picture, Ultear had respectfully ended their relationship. But that didn't make this loss any less painful in his heart. Though he wants nothing more than to shed tears and release the pain that coils deep in his chest, he keeps a strong front. He had to for Meredy's sake so she could have someone to support her. Someone for her to lean on, just as the heavenly mage had someone all those years ago.

Jellal wanted nothing more than to help Meredy feel better. He had embraced her and held her for her to cry as much as she would like all day, but that didn't seem to make much of a difference. After each time she read the letter, Meredy buried herself into Jellal's chest and cried whilst gripping onto his jacket tightly.  
"Hey… how about we stay at a warm, comfortable motel tonight?" Jellal asks as he places a hand upon her shoulder. Meredy's eyes lift from the ground and snaps over to Jellal as though she has just been freed from a hypnotic daze.  
"A-are you sure? I don't want to waste money needlessly," Meredy replies in a soft and sincere voice. She knew that staying in public areas like hotels and inns were often a bit of a hit for them financially.

"I'm sure. I think we both need a good night's rest. It'll be good for us."  
Meredy couldn't find a strong counterargument at the moment so she simply nods. Perhaps he was right. After all that has occurred today, after all the tears that were shed, maybe a warm bed would be a nice change compared to sleeping on the ground in a tent.

"Come. I can see the next town. We can find a suitable place there," Jellal says with a comforting tone.

After checking in to a local motel, Jellal and Meredy arrive at their bedroom with two queen-sized beds welcoming the tired travelers. Meredy almost instantly falls over onto the nearest bed. Her hands grip the bed sheets tightly before they are pulled closely to her. Indeed, the warmth of the bed was a welcoming sensation. Jellal looked on with a small smile. It seemed things were starting to get a bit better.

"I'll go ahead and take a shower. You can rest there if you'd like," says Jellal as he began undoing the blue coat that represents their guild. Meredy simply nods as she looks over at him. "Thank you…" she whispers quietly but Jellal couldn't hear her.

Later that evening, with both mages now bathed and dressed in their sleeping garments, Jellal lies down upon the other bed and reaches for the only lamp that lit the room. "Good night, Meredy. Get some rest."

"Good night, Jellal," replies the pinkette before she turns over and closed her eyes. Jellal turns off the lamp and turns over as well with his back facing Meredy.

About 20 minutes pass by. Meredy is seen tossing and turning in her bed. She is having a nightmare about what happened earlier. She could see everyone fighting, suffering, and crying. A cold sweat bathes her face as she breathes heavily. The image of Ultear sacrificing herself flashes before her eyes. Meredy gasps loudly and quickly sits up in her bed. She's shaken to the very core. Sleep is not an option for her. She is terrified that she would see Ultear in pain if she closed her eyes again.

Meredy looks over at Jellal, wondering if she had accidentally awakened him. Fortunately, Jellal remains asleep, still lying on his side with his back facing her. "Jellal?" she calls out to him in a soft voice, testing to see if he was really out for the night. There was no response. What would she do now? She wondered. If she closes her eyes, all she would see is Ultear, causing her more pain. But if she stays awake, she'd be too exhausted to do anything tomorrow. She wanted to be comforted again. She wanted to feel Jellal keep her so warm and safely in his arms. Maybe then she'd be able to relax, she told herself.

With Jellal still sound asleep, Meredy pulls off the warm blankets of her bed to reveal her long-sleeved two-piece pajamas, pink in color, and quietly slips out of her bed. She carefully walks over to Jellal's bed and slips under the covers. She had approached him from behind, allowing her to bury her face into the warmth of his strong back. Her hand sneaks its way around to his front, holding onto his pectoral muscles as she embraces him. Jellal was never one to wear much to bed, just a pair of pants that he likes to sleep in. 'Jellal… You're so warm…' she thought to herself as she nuzzles her face further into his back. She felt at ease for those few moments.

But her actions did not go unnoticed. Jellal felt something pressing against his back and holding onto his torso. It was an affectionate sensation, one he welcomed after such a terrible day. But wait, who would give him this? Was this only a dream? That's when Jellal opened his eyes with a small gasp. The sensation hadn't left. Someone has slipped into his bed.

He looks over his shoulder. Indeed, the figure of another person is traced along his bed sheets. The curves easily outline a female figure.

"Meredy?" he finally asks in a soft whisper.

"…." Meredy was too embarrassed to reply. She simply nods her head against his back so he could feel it.

"Are you alright?" Jellal asks, once confirming it was her.

Again, Meredy didn't answer. She shook her head from side to side against him to communicate.

"Is it OK if I turn around?" he asks once more.

Meredy pauses. She didn't know if she'd be able to handle such an embarrassing situation if he is looking at her. But nonetheless she still wanted him to hold her so she may feel safe. Thus, she nods and permits him to turn around.

With Jellal now facing the pinkette, Meredy presses her face against his strong chest and nuzzles into him. Her hands firmly press against his collar bones since he had no jacket or shirt to grip. He immediately knew what she wanted and complied, embracing the female warmly in his arms after reaching over and turning the lamp back on.

"It's OK, Meredy. I'm here for you. I won't leave you alone," he whispers comfortingly as his hand runs through her soft hair.

"Jellal… I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to wake—"

"Hey, none of that. We've been together for too long for you to apologize to me for this. I'll always be here when you need me. Today doesn't make this any less true," he responds as he cuts her off from making the apology.

"Jellal… I'm so scared…" she says with a trembling voice.

"Of what, Meredy?"

"Of going to sleep… All I see when I close my eyes is Ul…" she pauses to sniffle, trying her best to hold back her tears.

"Meredy…" Jellal felt so helpless. "I miss her, too. She means as much to me as she does to you. I know how it feels–"

"It's not just that…" she quickly responds. "I… I'm afraid of losing you, too…"

Jellal reacts with a bit of surprise. It was the first time she's ever told him something like this. "Meredy?"

"You both mean the world to me… You both made my life so much better… And now, one of you is gone. I couldn't save Ul…"

"It was out of your hands, Meredy. You can't blame yourself for tha—"

"But I do!" she exclaims as she suddenly lifts her face up from his chest to look at Jellal. Her tears once again stream down her reddened cheeks. "I do… I couldn't protect Ul. I couldn't protect someone I love so much. And now I'm afraid of losing someone else I love…"

Jellal's eyes widen. Did Meredy just confess her feelings to him? What was the appropriate answer for this?

"Meredy, I love you, too, but you can't—"

"No, you don't! You love Erza!"

Meredy once again buries herself into his chest. Her body now shaking as she quietly wept against him.

"You love Erza… It's always been about Erza… You got Erza back and now that's all you ever think about…"

"Meredy, you know that's not true."

"You never once saw me or Ul as women you could fall in love with… You only saw Ul as a woman that pleasured you…"

"…So you knew about that, huh?" Jellal asks as his expression falls.

Meredy nods against his chest. "But I know that Ul liked it, too, so I didn't say anything…and I knew… how good it felt…"

"Wait, did you…?!"

"I linked with Ul… every time…"

"Meredy, I—"

"It made her really happy… I was so jealous… because she was with the man I loved," she whispers in shame. "So I wanted to know what it was like… To make love with someone you loved… It was wonderful…"

Jellal was at a loss for words. He had no idea Meredy felt so strongly about him. What was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to react?

"Meredy… Ultear was more than a lover to me. She cared and supported me when I lost Erza… She helped ease the suffering and helped me stand on to my own two feet again," Jellal softly confesses as he thinks back to the days when he and Ultear were together. "She was an amazing woman. I cared so much about her. We supported each other that way as long as it lasted."

Meredy is stricken with a deep sense of shame. She should have known better than this. Perhaps if she had linked with Jellal successfully to understand how he felt towards Ultear, she wouldn't have judged him so harshly. Alas, for her sensory link to work successfully from a far distance, the two must have a deep sense of closeness. Thus, it was always easy to link with Ultear in contrast with Jellal.

"I'm so sorry, Jellal… I'm a terrible person, I know. To get upset with you, accuse you, and then tell you all this… I'm so sorry," Meredy says softly before lifting her gaze to meet his. "I shouldn't have said anything… Not tonight… Not like this. You don't deserve –"

Meredy's words are suddenly halted by Jellal as his lips suddenly press against her own. Her eyes widen in surprise but he didn't refuse him in the least. She kisses him back wholeheartedly; keeping their lips locked for several moments as she melts into his arms and closed her eyes. To feel his soft, warm lips upon her own without the need of a sense link was a sensation incomparable to the magic.

Jellal breaks the kiss moments later. The both of them breathe heavily as they could only continue gazing at each other in astonishment to what just happened.

"Jellal… What was…? What are you…?" Meredy attempts to come out with some kind of question or statement, but her mind is racing too quickly for her to form a sentence. Her cheeks were burning red with embarrassment. But she couldn't deny that that was her first real kiss, and it was more wonderful than she could have ever imagined.

"Meredy… I'm so sorry… I've never meant to cause you pain like this. I've always kept to myself so that others wouldn't suffer because of me. But know this… I've always seen you as a woman. A smart, beautiful woman who always brightens my day every time you smiled."

Meredy's eyes widen as her cheeks only grew redder.

"I love you, Meredy. We've been together for over 6 years now and I've seen you become someone truly extraordinary. I'd give anything to see you smile again. That's the truth. I just… never felt you deserved to be with someone like me. You deserve so much better."

Jellal's hand lifts from Meredy's back and cups her cheek to gently wipe away her tears. Meredy was awestruck. She couldn't quite bring herself to cease her crying. However, the tears leaving her emerald-colored eyes were now of joy, instead of sadness.

"Jellal… I love you. I love you so much with all of my heart. I don't care what I deserve or not. I just want to be with you by your side. So please… Please don't ever leave me. I don't want to lose you, too. I want to be with you always through all of our adventures like we have up to now. You don't ever need to feel or be alone. I'll always be with you. So please… let me stay like this with you tonight… I need you, tonight…"

"Anything for you, Meredy… I love you, too."

Their dimly-lit faces remain in place for several seconds as they continue to gaze into each other's eyes. Meredy couldn't believe what is happening. Did she really confess to him? Did he really accept those feelings? What are these sudden butterflies in her stomach?

That didn't matter. He is there for her at that moment and she couldn't be happier. Her arms slip up his toned chest and find their way around his neck to embrace the heavenly mage. The space between them vanishes as Meredy now takes the initiative and presses her lips against his own for a loving kiss. Jellal returns the kiss as his arms wrap around her slender figure to pull her closer towards him. There was a great sense of ease once their lips made contact for the second time, as though the weight of the world had finally been removed from their shoulders. This felt so right, they thought.

Jellal reaches up and turns off the lamp before they continued. As the night went on, several sounds of erotic love and lust floods the dimly-lit room with only the moonlight emanating from the room's large windows providing any source of illumination. Two silhouettes are seen moving together in an erotic dance. Jellal and Meredy make intense and passionate love that lasts for several hours, ending with the pinkette straddling her lover, her head thrown back, and his hands grasping her luscious chest firmly. They both cry out in ecstasy as they reach nirvana together. That evening, Meredy became a woman; giving her first time to the man she truly loved.

The silhouette of the male sits up from the bed as it wraps around the female's exposed body. She replies in kind, wrapping her arms lovingly around his head, and ending with their shadowed figures melting into one as they exchange one final, long, and passionate kiss.

Lying back in bed with nothing but the bed sheets covering their heated, sweaty, and nude bodies, Jellal and Meredy cuddle warmly into one another with Meredy finding her favorite spot in the whole world: his chest.

"That was so wonderful, Jellal~" cooed the satisfied pinkette as she nuzzles further into him.

"I couldn't agree more, Meredy. Mmm…" Jellal was utterly exhausted but truly satisfied. He had never thought that their relationship could ever develop this much or feel this good, but he was happy to know how wrong he was.  
That night, they both got the rest they so desperately needed.

"It's strange," Jellal began to say to himself the next morning as they checked out of the motel, "I've always thought that Crime Sorciere was always about punishment for our sins. That no one would ever want sinners like us. To accept us. To love us. But if all we ever received was punishment, then how would we ever be able to stand up and continue our quest? What point would there be in living if no one is there waiting for us to come home?"

"Hey, Jellal! Come on! We need to get going!" calls out Meredy from afar as she waves at him with a happy smile upon her face.

Jellal looks over and proceeds to walk towards her with a smile of his own. "Meredy gives me reason to fight on. To protect her. To accept her. To love her. Just like she has done for me. I don't have to walk the path of darkness alone… For we walk together, side by side."

"Geez Jellal, what took you so long? What were you muttering to yourself?" complains the pinkette as she starts walking with him.  
"Oh, it's nothing," he replies as he looks over at her with a warm smile upon his lips once more. "Shall we continue onward?"  
"Yes!"

From that day on, the two would always walk together, side by side, and hand-in-hand.


End file.
